Field of Technology
This relates to rail vehicles, and more particularly to vehicles which can convert from rail to road use.
Background
Certain rail vehicles, such as track inspection vehicles, are operated periodically on rail lines and need to be frequently removed from a rail line for storage or transfer to a different rail line. Traditionally, this requires loading onto trailers for road transportation. To ease transportation, it is beneficial for vehicles to be able to operate on both railways and roadways. Existing rail-to-road solutions are generally of larger vehicles, and not designed for smaller purposes such as a small rail inspection vehicle.
Description of Prior Art
U.S. Pat. No. 3,905,306 (Sep. 16, 1975, James, “Convertible Rail-Highway Mine Car”) discloses, in the Abstract, “A convertible rail-ground mine supply car with good ground clearance is described which operates both on rails and the mine floor surface which is equipped with rail-engaging wheels and manually operated ground-engaging wheels which are quickly and easily converted from the up or down position. The convertible rail-ground mine supply car is also equipped with a tongue which can be stored inconspicuously in the body of the car while the car is on the rails and can be extended readily upon the body of the car and adjusted for attachment to a mine tractor or the like.”
U.S. Pat. No. 3,338,184 (Aug. 29, 1967, Fisher, “Convertible Rail-Highway Car”) discloses, “in the Abstract, “A road-rail vehicle having built-in jacking means for elevating the vehicle and rail-engaging wheels relative to each other and jacking means to move the vehicle or the rail-engaging wheels horizontally relative to each other.”
U.S. Pat. No. 3,332,362 (Jul. 25, 1967, Fisher, “Convertible Rail-Highway Trailer”) discloses “The invention consists essentially in providing a vehicle of the trailer type with two sets of wheels interchangeable with each other. One set of pneumatic wheels for use in highway travel and the other set for use in travelling along the rails of a railroad. Also included is a set of set-off wheels mounted on the ends of brackets which are pivotally mounted on the vehicle and can be braced in a vertical position below the vehicle for engagement with set-off rails set transverse to the main rail line for the purpose of moving the vehicle sideways to a position alongside the rail line. When not in use, the set-off wheel brackets are pivoted into a position under the vehicle and secured.”
None of the above provides road and rail vehicle with (1) convertible to a road trailer with a standard hitch for towing, (2) road wheels separately movable between road-use and rail-use positions, and (3) self-supporting stability during transition between road and rail vehicle. What is needed, therefore, is a vehicle that overcomes the above-mentioned limitations and that includes the features enumerated above.